There Is A Huge Difference In Factoring Companies.

Here's How To Select The Best One For Your Business.

You might think that all factoring companies do the same thing- give you cash for your invoices. Well, that's true, but some companies actually go above and beyond to give you first class service.

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Abilene Factoring Companies

New to Factoring?

For those who aren't familiar with factoring, it is basically a fast way to get cash to run your business.

Factoring is Not a Loan

When you send your customers an invoice, they usually have 30 days to pay you back. Factoring companies will give you the bulk of the cash up front, sometimes within 24 hours, and collect the payments from your customers themselves. Once the invoices are paid in full, you’ll get the balance left over, minus a small fee.

Factoring Doesn't Require Debt

So how do you go about choosing the best factoring company?

Not all of them are created equal. Not all of them will give you the same level of service you need to help grow your business.

Everyone claims they have the simplest rate structure in the industry, no long-term contracts, same day funding, no up-front fees, no monthly minimums or maximums, etc., etc., etc.

We also offer these same benefits, but we GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR YOU that other factoring companies don’t.

Here’s Why We Are The Factoring Company You Need For Your Abilene Business

No other factoring company matches our level of superior service and offerings.

Financially Strong

We have been in business since 1979, are privately held, and have a proven track record of being financially strong. We have survived many economic downturns and in doing so, can help you through any difficult times you might encounter. We won’t go out of business when the times get tough, like some other factoring companies regretfully have in the past.

Part of a Vast Network

Every factoring company has a preference for size, industry, and risk. It’s impossible for you to know which company is the best fit for you. By contacting us, we can save you a tremendous amount of time by helping you find the best match for your business - whether it’s with us or another company.

We have a vast network of industry colleagues that we’ve built over 20+ years in the business. So, when you take the time to explain your needs to us, we can be the “one stop shop” to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

No Minimum

Most factoring companies will allow you to pick & choose customers to factor, however they usually have a minimum amount before they’ll work with you. With us, you can pick & choose what to factor on an invoice by invoice basis with no minimum.

Our factoring agreement is like carrying a credit card in your pocket. You carry it to use when you need it but don’t sign an agreement which will force you into factoring when you don’t need it.

Transparent Fees

Most factoring companies are not upfront about their fees. We are different. We are totally transparent about our fees. When you apply, you are provided a transparent, no obligation rate proposal with the fee for your company.

Our typical contract term is 90 days and we offer price breaks for extended term contracts as well as volume discounts. Optional services include $7/ACH for next-day funds sent electronically to your bank account or $12/wire for same-day funds. Invoices can be scanned and electronically uploaded directly to our secure server for $9/batch. In instances when original invoices are required, we offer discounted rates with Federal Express to submit your invoices.

That’s it! See which other factoring company, if any, will be totally up front with their fees before they try and get your business.

Higher Advance Rates

An “advance” rate is the percent of the invoice face value that you’ll receive upfront. Industry average advance rates are 70-90% of the face value of the invoice. So, for example, if your customer owes you $1,000, you should expect to receive an advance payment of $700 to $900 to your account. Our typical advance rates are higher than average - at 85-97% depending on industry and payment track record.

Personalized Solutions

We are not beholden to Wall Street investor money. We are a privately held company and don’t answer to investors or boards. We are like-minded entrepreneurs who understand what it takes to run a business. We take the time to hear your story, learn your struggles, and put together a solution for you rather than relying on an algorithm to determine your company’s value. Who do you want to rely on as a cash flow partner to fund your business?

Dedicated Account Administrators

Many factoring companies have either a lot of employee turnover, a complex voice mail system that you get lost in or operate call centers where you talk with a new representative every time you call in. We offer dedicated account administrators to be your point of contact – who knows your business intimately, and can help you in ways others just can’t.

Industry Veterans

We have been in business since 1979 and have staff who are dedicated to working in this industry as a career. We are veterans in this industry and can provide additional business guidance and resources as needed.

Our Business is Your Business

We establish a mutual risk tolerance to avoid putting you in the position to ever have to buy back an invoice. We also keep track of each invoice and follow them like your own credit and collections department would. Once they hit the payment date we place friendly reminder calls and/or emails on your behalf and keep notes as to when it is scheduled to be paid, and send copies if needed until payment is received.

Payment Trend Alerts

You will have access to online aging reports and your dedicated account administrator is kept in the loop and given advance notice of any collection issues so there are no surprises.

Up-to-Date Customer Credit History

You get direct online access to your customer’s business credit reports, or you can call and speak with your account administrator – your choice. Stay ahead of negative payment trends. This is critical to running your business and filling your next order.

Leading Edge Technology

We make strides to incorporate the latest technology to expedite the funding process, such as electronic submission of invoices, online reports, online credit checking and other emerging methods to streamline the process and reduce overhead, which means lower rates for you. Most other companies don’t even come close.

Financially Strong

We have been in business since 1979, are privately held, and have a proven track record of being financially strong. We have survived many economic downturns and in doing so, can help you through any difficult times you might encounter. We won’t go out of business when the times get tough, like some other factoring companies regretfully have in the past.

Part of a Vast Network

Every factoring company has a preference for size, industry, and risk. It’s impossible for you to know which company is the best fit for you. By contacting us, we can save you a tremendous amount of time by helping you find the best match for your business - whether it’s with us or another company.

We have a vast network of industry colleagues that we’ve built over 20+ years in the business. So, when you take the time to explain your needs to us, we can be the “one stop shop” to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

No Minimum

Most factoring companies will allow you to pick & choose customers to factor, however they usually have a minimum amount before they’ll work with you. With us, you can pick & choose what to factor on an invoice by invoice basis with no minimum.

Our factoring agreement is like carrying a credit card in your pocket. You carry it to use when you need it but don’t sign an agreement which will force you into factoring when you don’t need it.

Transparent Fees

Most factoring companies are not upfront about their fees. We are different. We are totally transparent about our fees. When you apply, you are provided a transparent, no obligation rate proposal with the fee for your company.

Our typical contract term is 90 days and we offer price breaks for extended term contracts as well as volume discounts. Optional services include $7/ACH for next-day funds sent electronically to your bank account or $12/wire for same-day funds. Invoices can be scanned and electronically uploaded directly to our secure server for $9/batch. In instances when original invoices are required, we offer discounted rates with Federal Express to submit your invoices.

That’s it! See which other factoring company, if any, will be totally up front with their fees before they try and get your business.

Higher Advance Rates

An “advance” rate is the percent of the invoice face value that you’ll receive upfront. Industry average advance rates are 70-90% of the face value of the invoice. So, for example, if your customer owes you $1,000, you should expect to receive an advance payment of $700 to $900 to your account. Our typical advance rates are higher than average - at 85-97% depending on industry and payment track record.

Personalized Solutions

We are not beholden to Wall Street investor money. We are a privately held company and don’t answer to investors or boards. We are like-minded entrepreneurs who understand what it takes to run a business. We take the time to hear your story, learn your struggles, and put together a solution for you rather than relying on an algorithm to determine your company’s value. Who do you want to rely on as a cash flow partner to fund your business?

Dedicated Account Administrators

Many factoring companies have either a lot of employee turnover, a complex voice mail system that you get lost in or operate call centers where you talk with a new representative every time you call in. We offer dedicated account administrators to be your point of contact – who knows your business intimately, and can help you in ways others just can’t.

Industry Veterans

We have been in business since 1979 and have staff who are dedicated to working in this industry as a career. We are veterans in this industry and can provide additional business guidance and resources as needed.

Our Business is Your Business

We establish a mutual risk tolerance to avoid putting you in the position to ever have to buy back an invoice. We also keep track of each invoice and follow them like your own credit and collections department would. Once they hit the payment date we place friendly reminder calls and/or emails on your behalf and keep notes as to when it is scheduled to be paid, and send copies if needed until payment is received.

Payment Trend Alerts

You will have access to online aging reports and your dedicated account administrator is kept in the loop and given advance notice of any collection issues so there are no surprises.

Up-to-Date Customer Credit History

You get direct online access to your customer’s business credit reports, or you can call and speak with your account administrator – your choice. Stay ahead of negative payment trends. This is critical to running your business and filling your next order.

Leading Edge Technology

We make strides to incorporate the latest technology to expedite the funding process, such as electronic submission of invoices, online reports, online credit checking and other emerging methods to streamline the process and reduce overhead, which means lower rates for you. Most other companies don’t even come close.

As you can see, we simply have more to offer you.

Other factoring companies don’t even compare.

And Not All Factoring Companies Can Say This:

More than half of our new business comes through client referrals.

So, Can Your Abilene Company Use Factoring?

Of Course! Companies of all sizes, from small privately-owned companies to large multi-national corporations, use factoring as a way to increase their cash flow. Factoring spans all industries, including trucking, transportation, manufacturing and distribution, textiles, oil and gas, staffing agencies and more.

Companies use the cash generated from factoring to pay for inventory, buy new equipment, add employees, expand operations—basically any expenses related to their business. Factoring allows a company to make quicker decisions and expand at a faster pace.

Unlike a bank loan, factoring has…

No principle or interest to pay over time

No debt to repay

Unlimited funding potential – no caps

Fast funding – no waiting months like at a bank

Approval is based on the strength of your clients, not your credit

Startups are welcome in using funding services

Some of the benefits you receive with factoring are:

Stop worrying about cash flow issues and start spending more time on your business.

No need to make monthly payments to repay a loan.

Receive money in as soon as two to four days – or sooner.

Reduce business costs associated with the collection process.

Win the battle against slow-paying clients.

Get instant credit evaluations for new customers.

Have complete control over your cash flow by deciding which invoices to sell and when.

Enjoy bulk-purchasing discounts or early payment discounts by having extra cash.

Improve your credit rating by having cash on hand to pay bills on time.

You get complete and detailed reports about your accounts receivable portfolio.

Provides cash for your expansion.

Provides cash for your marketing.

Improves your overall financial statement.

Stop worrying about cash flow issues and start spending more time on your business.

No need to make monthly payments to repay a loan.

Receive money in as soon as two to four days – or sooner.

Reduce business costs associated with the collection process.

Win the battle against slow-paying clients.

Get instant credit evaluations for new customers.

Have complete control over your cash flow by deciding which invoices to sell and when.

Enjoy bulk-purchasing discounts or early payment discounts by having extra cash.

Improve your credit rating by having cash on hand to pay bills on time.

You get complete and detailed reports about your accounts receivable portfolio.

Provides cash for your expansion.

Provides cash for your marketing.

Improves your overall financial statement.

So there you have it.

Now you know all the ins and outs of the factoring business. Now you know why no one else can even come close to us! Now you know why we should be the premier factoring company for your business.

Call us today and let us help you get the cash you need to operate your Abilene business effectively.

Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 according to the 2010 census making it the twenty seventh most populous city in the state of Texas. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2011 estimated population of 166,416. It is the county seat of Taylor County. Dyess Air Force Base is located on the west side of the city.Abilene is located off Interstate 20, between exits 279 on its western edge and 292 on the east. Abilene is 150 miles (240 km) west of Fort Worth, Texas. The city is looped by I 20 to the north, US 83/84 on the west, and Loop 322 to the east. A railroad divides the city down the center into north and south.

The historic downtown area is on the north side of the railroad.The fastest growing sections of the city are growing to the southwest, along Southwest Drive, the Winters Freeway, and the Buffalo Gap Road corridor; the southeast, along Loop 322, Oldham Lane, Industrial Drive, and Maple Street; and in the northeast near the intersection of SH 351 and I 20. Many developments have begun in these three areas within the last few years. There are three lakes in the city, Lytle Lake on the western edge of Abilene Regional Airport, Kirby Lake on the southeast corner of the US 83/84 & Loop 322 interchange, and Lake Fort Phantom Hill in Jones County in northern Abilene.The economy in Abilene was originally based on the livestock and agricultural sectors, but has since evolved and is now based strongly on Government, Education, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. The petroleum industry is prevalent in the surrounding area also. The city has established incentives to bring new businesses to the area, including job training grants, relocation grants, and more.

Information for the state of Texas

Mineral resources compete with industry for primary economic importance in Texas. The state is the leading U.S. producer of oil, natural gas, and natural-gas liquids, despite recent production declines. It is also a major producer of helium, salt, sulfur, sodium sulfate, clays, gypsum, cement, and talc. Texas manufactures an enormous variety of products, including chemicals and chemical products, petroleum, food and food products, transportation equipment, machinery, and primary and fabricated metals. The development and manufacture of electronic equipment, such as computers, has in recent decades become one of the state's leading industries; the area around Dallas and Fort Worth has become known as "Silicon Prairie," a name now also extended to Austin and its suburbs.

Agriculturally, Texas is one of the most important states in the country. It easily leads the nation in producing cattle, cotton, and cottonseed. Texas also has more farms, farmland, sheep, and lambs than any other state. Principal crops are cotton lint, grains, sorghum, vegetables, citrus and other fruits, and rice; the greatest farm income is derived from cattle, cotton, dairy products, and greenhouse products. Hogs, wool, and mohair are also significant. Among other important Texas crops are melons, wheat, pecans, oats, and celery. Texas also has an important commercial fishing industry. Principal catches are shrimp, oysters, and menhaden

You have things to do and sometimes it just does not make sense to put them off until you get paid

Before making your final decision and entering into a factoring agreement, check out the fees applicable and the terms of the contract. Both of these can vary a lot, depending on the factoring company and the industry it is serving. -Abilene Factoring Companies

THE SECRET OF HAVING GOOD CASH FLOW

Abilene Factoring Companies Articles

Effective Ways for Small Businesses to Avoid Cash Flow Problems

Without steady cash flow most businesses will fail to thrive, especially small businesses and start-ups. We've all heard the phrase "Cash Is King" and that's certainly true for established businesses, but for new businesses just getting started cash flow is even more important. Sadly, many new businesses fail to realize just how devastating cash flow problems can be to a business trying to establish themselves in the market. In fact, many businesses die a sad and lonely death simply because of bad cash management, and these are businesses that would otherwise have survived had they not experienced cash flow problems. Statistics show that 82% of businesses fail because they were unable to manage their cash. That's a tragic figure, especially when there are effective ways for new, small, and even large businesses to avoid these problems.

So, let's take a look at some important rules that small businesses should be aware of to ensure they never have to face liquidity.

No. 1: It's Cash That Sustains Business Growth

So many businesses don't consider cash flow an issue because they see the orders flooding in; however, many growing companies do experience cash flow problems. Increased sales generally mean increased costs to deliver orders; plus, in order to support the new volume of business other sections of a business typically need to grow. Your business may appear to be highly successful as orders continue coming in, but keep in mind that the faster your business grows the more financing it will need.

No. 2: Margins Are Just Accounting - They're Not Cash!

We know that accounting, and accountants, can be pretty creative with figures because there's nothing shareholders and board members love more than hearing about the industry-leading margins you're achieving; but your board members and shareholders are not the ones who have to find the money to meet payroll and pay your landlord. Margins don't pay your employees. Your sales may be booked down when your customer's order is delivered, but how long will it be before you receive payment? 30, 60, 90 days, or even longer? If your customers are not paying you and you're struggling to pay your expenses, your business is now in survival mode. Keep in mind that you may have great accounting margins but still have an empty bank account.

The more sales you make the more money you make, but when you're selling B2B it's not always that simple. Yes, you sell and deliver goods or services to another business and provide them with an invoice, and your customer will pay the invoice at a later date. But how much later? If you chase the business too hard for payment they'll probably never work with you again, so you could receive payment months later. You're not going to pass up businesses who buy with high volume, so you have no choice but to wait. So, you end up with a cash flow problem.

No. 4: Cash Flow Problems Can Occur Very Quickly

It doesn't take much for cash flow management to become a serious problem, so monitor your cash flow very carefully. Determine how much of your working capital is locked into receivables, inventories, raw materials, and so on; and know exactly how much money is required to meet both your sales targets and operating expenses. You may have made the sales but that doesn't mean you have the cash, and you may have paid for inventory but that doesn't mean it's automatically a cost of goods sold.

No. 5: Your Inventory Ties up Cash

You can't sell your goods until you've purchased or built them and, whether your goods are sold or not, your vendor still expects to be paid. This means that your inventory is locking up your cash. You could eventually make two times or even three times your money on your inventory, but margins do not equal cash.

No. 6: You Must Be Practical About Working Capital

Working capital is the figure left over when current liabilities are deducted from current assets, which means it's the money you have in your bank account available for meeting operating costs, paying vendors, and buying inventory - all the while waiting for your business customers to pay your invoices. Understanding and grasping the concept of working capital is a very necessary survival skill in business because being able to maintain sufficient cash to pay your own financial responsibilities whilst dealing with all the unknowns in business can be very tricky.

No. 7: Be Clear on What "Accounts Receivable" Actually Are

The money owed to you by your customers is called accounts receivable, which means the money that's sitting in your customer's bank account that belongs to you is called receivables. Just like inventory, the amount of money in your accounts receivable column is money you don't have. Certainly, you've done the deal and you've sent the invoice, but now you're waiting to be paid. You must remain very vigilant until such time as the invoice has been settled and the money is physically in your bank account.

8. Monitor the Health of Your Business Very Closely

Three aspects of your business that require close monitoring include -

-Inventory Turnover: Measure how long your inventory stays on your balance sheet without being converted to cash;

-Collection Days: Measure how long it takes to receive payment for services rendered or goods sold;

-Payment Days: Keep a record of how long you wait before paying suppliers.

Now, make a plan. Project these figures out to 12 or 18 months ahead then compare your plan to what actually occurs. This is a really great way of gaining some insight into your own business.

No. 9: Prepare for Financing before You Actually Need It

Don't wait until you need financing to start reaching out to finance companies. Contact companies who provide financing, especially credit line financing, and look for products where interest is not payable if the money is not used. Don't wait for your business to have cash flow issues. Waiting until you urgently need cash or a loan will subject you to higher interest rates and dodgy terms. Start the process while your business is healthy, which will allow you to negotiate finance terms from a position of strength. We strongly suggest you be proactive and find a partner ready to finance your business; a partner that's prepared to grow with you.

You have things to do and sometimes it just does not make sense to put them off until you get paid

Abilene Factoring Companies Articles

Bookkeeping for Freight Brokers and the Most Common Mistakes Businesses Make

A freight broker is either a company or an individual who effects the transportation of goods by pairing up shippers with transportation services. The freight broker is not only responsible for pairing reliable and authorized transportation carriers with shippers, but also organizing the shipping needs for various organizations. Besides matching shippers with carriers, a freight broker is also responsible for ensuring each and every piece of cargo reaches its destination - and in good condition.

In addition to these tasks, freight brokers are also responsible for maintaining accurate bookkeeping records, and those who fail to keep meticulous accounting records are likely to lose money in the long run. In this post we've detailed what we believe are the most common accounting mistakes freight brokers make, and ways in which they can be avoided.No. 1: Attempting to DIY Your Bookkeeping Can Result in Costly Errors

Whether you handle the books yourself or delegate this vitally important job to an unqualified employee or even a family member, DIY bookkeeping is seldom, if ever, a good idea. Yes, initially you'll undoubtedly save some money, but your inexperienced bookkeeper's errors can ultimately become very costly to your business and result in expensive financing terms, increased bond premiums, and other unnecessary costs.

We strongly suggest you employ the services of an experienced bookkeeper who's qualified to deliver accurate accounting records, which will ultimately result in fewer errors and the job being completed quickly and efficiently.

No. 2: Postponing Important Bookkeeping Tasks Due to Heavy Workloads

It's not easy running a business, and anyone who finds themselves in this situation understands only too well just how difficult it can be to find the time to complete day-to-day time-consuming tasks. It's imperative that things like reconciling credit card and bank statements be completed each month because it's only through these reconciliations that errors can be found; plus of course it's how you determine out how much credit or cash you actually have.

As tempting as it may be to postpone these tedious tasks, you must ensure that your credit card and bank statements are reconciled every month, ideally as soon as you receive each statement. Keeping on top of statements means you can quickly identify any lost checks, missing deposits, or fraudulent charges, and be able to handle any discrepancies in a timely manner.

No. 3: Failing to Track Receivables and Invoices

Your business depends on you getting paid, and you won't be paid if you're not regularly and properly accounting for receivables. The lifeblood of your business is cash, which means the success of your business is entirely dependent upon you accounting for receivables. To put it another way, if the period of time between paying your carriers and receiving payment from customers is unnecessarily delayed by poor accounting practices, your business cash flow is going to be very strained.

If you're time-poor and realize you simply don't have time to track and collect invoices, then invoice factoring is the perfect solution for you. For just a small fee your applicable invoices will be purchased by the invoice factoring company, but the best part about invoice factoring is that you receive immediate payment! No longer will you have the time-consuming responsibility of trying to collect payments, thus saving an enormous amount of office time: plus, it leaves you free to take care of your own job, which is handling the day-to-day running of your business.

No. 4: Overlooking Liabilities Can Have Disastrous Results

When a surety inspects your business records to underwrite a bond, one of their first and most important considerations is whether your assets are sufficient to cover your liabilities. It's difficult for inexperienced bookkeepers to understand the full implications of accurate record keeping and sometimes DIY accountants record a liability but once the payment is made they forget to reverse the liability. This is a serious error because it understates net income while overstating liabilities, which makes your business appear less financially stable than it actually is.

The only way to avoid these unnecessary accounting errors is to hire an experienced bookkeeper. It's always handy to have another set of eyes, whether it be a CPA or an owner, to regularly review the balance sheet and check for discrepancies in account balances.

No. 5: Miscategorizing or Creating Unnecessary Expense Categories

All too often we see inexperienced bookkeepers either creating unnecessary expense categories or wrongly categorizing expenditures, either of which can be a huge red flag. Generally, each industry uses a standard set of categories for expenses and failing to follow this set of rules can signal to a surety or loan underwriter that an inexperienced person is handling your books; meaning that they may not be well prepared.

It's really important that your business's accounting software is correctly set up, preferably with the help of an accountant or experienced bookkeeper. Additional expense categories should not be added unless absolutely necessary. If you have any queries about how to classify expenses, don't hesitate to ask for guidance from your qualified accountant or CPA.

No. 6: Submitting Invoices with Insufficient Details

Don't try to save time by skimping on invoice details. Your customers' invoices should have detailed information on each line item; for example, do you invoice per mile, by weight, or by piece? Is the charge a flat fee? If there are additional charges such as fees or reimbursements for fuel, these should be listed as separate line items. The only way to avoid any confusion is to ensure that charges are properly detailed on invoices.

The last thing you want is for your customers to complain about charges they don't recognize on their invoices; and missing information can cause much confusion, resulting in delays in payment. All of these problems can be prevented by ensuring that your invoices have complete, detailed, and accurate information. Don't create unnecessary problems by trying to skimp on invoice details.

No. 7: Not Learning or Understanding the Full Functionality of Your Accounting Software

Getting a business up and running can be very expensive and time-consuming, and many freight brokers simply don't have time to learn how to use their accounting software package to its full capacity. This is not a problem if all your accounting and bookkeeping tasks are being outsourced; however, if you're using the software in any way at all, perhaps even just for entering checks and running reports, we strongly recommend that you learn how to use all functions of your accounting software package.

You can save so much time and have easy access to real-time information on the financial status of your business if you have the right accounting software and you know how to use it correctly. Having this information at your fingertips can help you make the right decisions to grow your business.

Abilene Factoring Companies Articles

Business Is Great, but Our Company's Cash-Strapped!

There comes a time in the life of most businesses when cash flow becomes a problem, and it's not just during difficult times that this occurs. There are so many different reasons why businesses may need an injection of cash, like sudden growth, or perhaps wanting to purchase new equipment or service bigger clients. Every business at one time or another will require urgent funding to sustain or grow their business.According to research, many small and medium-sized businesses are failing, certainly not due to lack of sales, but solely because they're unable to meet their short-term financial obligations. Considering the time, money, and personal investment that goes into the creation of every business, the failure of a business to thrive has become a heartbreaking reality for many people. Why would a profitable and growing business find itself in financial trouble? The answer is very simple. When just one or more of your larger accounts hold off on paying their accounts for perhaps an additional 60 or 90 days, you've now got a cash flow problem.

Running Out of Funding Options?

When experiencing cash flow problems, business people typically depend on conventional lending sources for a corporate line-of-credit, and many find themselves applying for short-term bridging finance. And how many business owners admit to using their personal credit card to pay for business-related expenses? However, there are times when traditional methods of funding are no longer available, leaving the acquisition of extended financing a frustrating and sometimes impossible task.

Fortunately, there's a viable alternative today, one which has been around for a long time but one that many businesses are not fully aware of. There's now a way for businesses to avoid cash flow problems and continue growing their business from strength to strength, even during difficult times. Factoring, also known as Accounts Receivable Financing, Asset Based Lending (and various other terms) is an alternative form of financing, designed to help businesses through periods of expansion and business growth. Factoring has quickly become a very practical and workable financial solution for many businesses, and more and more we're seeing businesses from different industries look towards factoring to resolve their cash flow problems.

How Does Freight Factoring Work for Trucking Companies?

Basically, a business with creditworthy accounts receivables can use factoring to receive an immediate injection of cash on those receivables. Factoring companies will typically say yes when a bank says no, thus providing a business with a much-needed cash injection. The process of factoring is actually quite simple. Your trucking company needs cash, and because you have quality accounts receivables your chosen factoring company will purchase any number of those receivables and immediately provide you with cash - anywhere up to 90% of the value of your invoices. Once your customer has paid the factoring company the total amount of your invoice, the remaining balance will be forwarded to you - less the agreed-upon fees.

A good factoring company will respond quickly to its trucking company clients and provide them with personalized and professional attention. With freight bill factoring, a trucking company will always have its cash needs satisfied with cash flow. It may be true that, when compared to other means of lending, factoring is more expensive, but borrowers report that the benefits they receive far outweigh the cost.

Freight Bill Factoring Is Not A Loan

Perhaps the greatest advantage of invoice factoring is the fast turnaround time because, unlike banks, there's no loan approval process with factoring. This means that business owners of trucking companies can receive cash in-hand on the same working day! In order to be approved for freight factoring a trucking company must have creditworthy customers and have a good reputation; however, once approved for freight factoring the process of receiving funding is quite automatic. Cash advances will be made on the same day, and it's important to note here that future financing is only limited by the value and number of receivables involved.

Freight Bill Factoring Is Very Popular with Trucking Companies

In the last decade many trucking companies have taking advantage of freight factoring, mostly because it's a great alternative to bank financing. In fact, freight factoring is often recommended by trucking companies financial advisers or accountants. We know of many cases where freight bill factoring is solely responsible for trucking companies being able to accept and process orders from customers that otherwise would have declined due to a lack of financing. Freight bill factoring has saved many companies from severe financial crisis, and even bankruptcy.

It's now very clear that freight bill factoring is playing a very important role in today's business environment. This type of financing allows trucking companies to increase loads, expand their customer base, and even survive a seasonal slump. The truth is that freight bill factoring works, and it works well!

Abilene Factoring Companies Articles

Everything You Need to Know about Invoice Factoring

You've probably heard about invoice factoring, but like many business owners you may not be entirely sure how it works or whether it could help your own business. In this article we'll try to answer all your questions about what invoice factoring is, how it works, and whether it could help you grow your business.The following definition of invoice factoring may sound too good to be true, but let's look anyway! "Invoice factoring is a viable alternative to bank financing and other traditional types of financing, but it's not a debt, and there are no strings attached." For anyone who's approached traditional lending sources for financing and been refused or left hanging for weeks or months, yes, this probably does sound too good to be true, but it's actually not! Invoice factoring can provide the working capital you need to help your business grow and prosper, so read on then decide for yourself.

How Invoice Factoring Works

With invoice factoring you no longer need to wait 60, 90, or even 120 days to receive payment from your customers, because invoice factoring converts these invoices into immediate cash in-hand. It's up to you to determine which invoices, and how many invoices, you wish to factor, following this simple process -

- Once you've been accepted for invoice factoring by your factoring company, you can begin submitting your unpaid invoices. These invoices must be for products that have been delivered or work that's been completed. The process to follow is to fax or email a copy of the invoice directly to the factor, while at the same time invoicing your customer as usual.- Within 24 hours you'll receive a cash advance from your factoring company. Your invoices will be verified by the factor and you'll receive a cash advance of up to 95% of the invoice, which will be paid directly into your bank account.- Now that you've received this cash advance, you continue on with your work while the factoring company works to collect on the invoice on your behalf. Your factor will be highly experienced in collecting on invoices, thus allowing you to do what you do best, which is to continue providing excellent customer service and focusing on other important aspects of growing your business.- It's entirely up to you how many invoices you factor and how many clients you choose for the factoring process. You may decide to factor all your invoices, or it may be that you have one client that's always late in paying and you'd prefer the factoring company to only collect on that one invoice. It's your decision!

The Benefits of Invoice Factoring

The major benefit of invoice factoring is that, as the business owner, you're controlling your cash flow. Of course, there are other advantages of using a factoring company which can help your business grow and prosper.

It's very important to the viability of your business that you work with reliable customers in fact, it's the only way to turn your sales into revenues and to develop a solid payment history. But, we all know just how expensive it can be to run background and credit checks, and this simple exercise can dig deep into your working capital.

No problem! These checks will be provided to you by your invoice factoring company at no additional charge to you, which will provide reassurance that you are in fact working with quality customers. It also means that any issues that may arise can be addressed before they negatively affect your company.

No. 2: Your Factoring Company Can Assist with Credit Building and Repair

Perhaps your business credit is not ideal, but the good news is that you could still qualify for an invoice factoring program. The benefit of invoice factoring for a business with less-than-perfect credit is that, not only will you have available cash to meet your daily operating costs, you'll also be able to rebuild your credit rating by paying down current debt. Factoring companies are also well-equipped to assist start-ups, so if you're just getting your business up-and-running, invoice factoring is the perfect way to maintain regular cash flow.

With invoice factoring, your business can utilize this rejuvenated cash flow to not only save money by offering competitive rates, but you'll now be able to negotiate early pay discounts and other incentives with your suppliers. And, depending on how many invoices you decide to factor, you could eventually qualify for a reduction in rates by receiving a volume discount.

No. 4: Invoice Factoring Provides Steady Cash Flow

In order for any business to grow and prosper it's vitally important to have a steady cash flow. And that's the beauty of invoice factoring: instead of late-paying customers controlling cash flow, the business owner regains control of the working capital. Perhaps you're simply tired of waiting for invoices to be paid, or maybe you're in an industry with seasonal fluctuations; whatever the reason you're struggling with cash flow, invoice factoring can help you regulate and take control of your business once again.

No. 5: Invoice Factoring Allows You to Dream Big Again!

Having a steady business is one thing, but having a growing business is what every business owner dreams of. Now that you've been accepted for invoice factoring and you have a steady cash flow, there are many ways you can use this cash to grow your business.

- You can increase your marketing efforts and get your name out there;

- You can negotiate bigger and better contracts with bigger clients;

- You can invest in technology upgrades;

- You can employ experienced personnel, or provide training programs for existing staff;

- You can upgrade or replace outdated equipment; and

- You can relocate your business or invest in expansion.

No. 6: Invoice Factoring Is Not a Debt to Your Business

It's very important to note that invoice factoring is not a debt, so there will be no more debt added to your balance sheet. In fact, it's exactly the opposite, because invoice factoring provides cash in-hand, so you can pay off old debts. The money is already yours, so there's no money to pay back or interest to add on. All invoice factoring does is get money that's owed to you into your bank account - faster.

I've Never Heard of Invoice Factoring

Many businesses know very little, or nothing at all, about invoice factoring, which is strange because invoice factoring is certainly not new. Perhaps it's because we typically think of bank loans and other traditional types of lending when looking to grow our business; however, factoring goes right back to the Roman Empire. Back then, businessmen, particularly farmers, used factors to grow their business, and in more modern times factoring was used to finance transactions in the clothing and textile industry, helping businesses accept larger purchase orders and pay for raw materials. Today, invoice factoring is used by almost every industry you can think of, like -- Construction

- Transportation

- Medical

- Staffing, HR

- Consulting

- Engineering

- Media and Marketing.

Understanding the Language of Invoice Factoring

Invoice factoring does appear to have its own language, so let's clarify some of the terminology -

- Your customers are known as Account Debtors.

- The report showing the total amount of unpaid receivables in addition to the amount of time they've remained unpaid is known as an Accounts Receivable Ageing Report.

- The two terms Invoice Factoring and Accounts Receivable Factoring can be used interchangeably because they mean the same thing.

- The percentage of the invoice charged by the factor as a fee for advancing funds is known as the Discount Rate.

- When your factor conducts background research to assess potential customers this is known as Due Diligence.

- The cash that's advanced to the business, typically within 24 hours and usually ranging between 80% and 95% of the total invoice amount, is known as the Factoring Advance Rate.

- The third party who connects a business with the right factoring company, to meet their business goals and needs is known as a Factoring Broker.

- The right to maintain possession of property until such time as a debt has been discharged is known as a Lien.

- It can occur that a customer fails to pay their invoice on time, or they may never pay their invoice. Non-Recourse Funding is where the factor assumes full responsibility for funds lost. Because the factoring company accepts this responsibility, non-recourse funding is therefore more expensive.- With Recourse Funding, your business will be required to buy back the receivables if your client fails to pay within the agreed-upon terms.

- The amount of money withheld by the factor until full payment has been received from your customer is known as the Reserve.

- Staffing companies may choose to enter a one-time agreement in order to factor a single invoice. This is known as Spot Factoring.

How Does Invoice Factoring Affect Your Customers?

It's important to point out here that your factoring company is not a collection agency and that factoring is not a bad thing. The aim of your factoring company is to maintain a good working relationship with both you and your customers, which means that your customers will receive great customer service. Both you and your factoring company have one common goal, and that is to ensure the payment process of your invoices is as seamless as possible. See below for how factoring typically works -

- You've decided to start factoring, so the first step is for your Account Manager to verify with your debtors that they are indeed your customers and to inform them of a change of address for remittances.

- Your customers must pay their invoices anyway, so a change of remittance address should not affect them in any way.

- Your account manager is a professional when it comes to collecting on invoices, so they will simply advise your clients that they will be managing your invoices in future and taking over your accounts receivable.

- And that's all there is to it! Nothing should change between you and your customers. They'll still receive an invoice from you; but their payment will now be sent to a new Post Office box. Your Account Manager will always be on hand to resolve any issues that may arise.

How Do I Choose the Right Invoice Factoring Company for My Business?

When you start looking for factoring companies you'll discover that there are many different companies out there, but they're certainly not all the same.

When making comparisons we suggest you consider the following points -

1: Factoring Fees

It's true that factoring fees can be more expensive than traditional bank loans, but sometimes the decision businesses are faced with is to simply have access to some working capital or have no working capital at all. What should you be aware of? You need to know the overall factoring cost, in addition to any smaller (or hidden) fees your factor may charge. These fees might include -

- Account Setup Fees

- Application Costs

- Credit Reports

- Costs to Research Liens

- Money Transfer Fees, or

- Last-Minute Funding.

Choose a factor that you believe you can trust and one that you feel completely comfortable with; because you're also looking for great customer service. Remember also that factors may charge for different things, and there may be hidden fees.

2: You Need Flexibility, so Carefully Check Your Proposed Contract

It's very important that you carefully read the fine print of your contract, prior to signing on the dotted line. It would be so disappointing to sign a factoring contract only to realize that you didn't completely understand the terms and now you're locked into a contract that's not clear on how the factoring company charges or how many invoices you can factor per month - or even worse - that you're now legally bound to this factoring company for the long term. Yes, long-term factoring contracts do exist, but be prepared to pay a lot of money if you try and break the contract. Make sure you know exactly how long you're signing up for, which of your clients are eligible for factoring, and how much per month you can factor.

3: With Invoice Factoring, Communication Is Key

Great customer service is very important with any business, and the most important part of great customer service is good and easy communication. And now we're talking about dealing with a company that's handling your money, so you can see how important good communication is! The last thing you need from a factoring company who's handling your money is being forced to wait for days for someone to respond to your phone call or email communication. Any factoring company you talk to is going to say their communication and customer service is really great - but be very cautious. How well did your potential factoring company respond to your initial queries? Then ask yourself: is that how you'd want them to deal with your customers? Remember there are plenty of factoring companies out there, so if the answer to these questions is not an unequivocal â€˜yes', then find someone else.

4: Look for a Factoring Company That Has Industry Expertise

Yes, there are factoring companies out there that cover general factoring, but ideally, you'll choose someone who specializes in your own industry; someone who has a good working knowledge of the type of business you're running. Once you start looking for the right factoring company for your business you'll see that there are many factoring companies that specialize in specific industries, which means they already know a lot about your business model. And, if they have a lot of expertise, they'll probably be able to offer specific programs that relate to your industry, like fuel cards, or back-office support. These little extras can be just what you need when deciding whether or not to factor your invoices.

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Small Business Invoice Factoring: The Clever Choice!

Many small businesses are discovering invoice factoring and quickly realizing this was a very smart business choice! Why? Because small business invoice factoring converts receivables into immediate cash!

The Ideal Alternative to Traditional Bank Loans

Small businesses are discovering that invoice factoring is the perfect, and much easier, alternative to traditional funding sources, like bank loans and cash advances. Any small business who sells to the government or other companies can use invoice factoring to enjoy the many benefits of accessing immediate cash flow. Whether you've applied for traditional funding and been refused or applied and are still waiting to hear if you've been accepted, keep in mind that small business invoice factoring is a very viable option for you.

How Does Invoice Factoring Work for Small Businesses

One of the major benefits of small business invoice factoring is that it's the credit worthiness of your customers that determines the funding decision. This means that if you're a business who sells to the government or other businesses with good credit, you're the perfect candidate for small business invoice factoring.

Applying for invoice factoring is a very simple process, and you certainly won't be forced to wait weeks, even months, for a decision as you would with traditional funding sources.

Why Small Businesses Are Choosing Invoice Factoring

Many businesses are only just learning about invoice factoring, even though factoring has been around for a long time. Any business owner who has applied for a bank loan knows only too well that, to start with, the application process can take months, and secondly, there's still no guarantee you'll be approved for finance.

According to the Small Business Administration, in the first quarter of the year 2015 small business loan approval rates at banks were 22%, and at credit unions it was 43%. The limit on business credit cards is often capped at less than $100,000, which is often not sufficient to cover unexpected expenses or large projects.

Invoice Factoring: The Smart Alternative to Traditional Lending

Today, small business invoice factoring has become the smart alternative for many business owners because factoring provides an immediate cash advance, with no restrictions placed on the money received. It's also important to note that factoring is not a debt, which means there are no limitations on how you choose to use the funds received.

Yes, small businesses can access quick money with a merchant cash advance, but there's always a high cost involved. You'll soon discover that the cash advanced will cost your business more than 70% effective annual interest. Alternatively, cash advance lenders demand daily repayments with full payment due in just a few months. The demand for daily payback can destroy a small business, but sometimes business owners are left with no choice.

So, let's take a quick look at just some of the benefits of small business invoice factoring, and once you read through this list we're sure you'll think of more benefits to your own business.

With this immediate cash advance you'll be able to -

- Employee new staff members

- Easily meet payroll

- Accept larger orders from bigger customers

- Invest in marketing and sales

- Expand manufacturing and production

- Your business will be able to weather cash flow cycles and seasonal sales periods

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The Difference between Accounts Receivable Financing and Factoring

Today, it's not as easy for businesses to access finance as it was in past years, and more companies are being forced to look for alternative, non banking financing options in order to access the capital they require to help their business grow.

Two of the more popular tools available to cash strapped business owners are Accounts Receivable Financing (A/R Financing) and factoring. Some business owners believe these two are the same, but there are, in fact, some small yet significant differences.

What Is Factoring?

Factoring is when a commercial finance company, also known as a factor or factoring company, purchases a business's outstanding accounts receivable. At that time, the factor will typically advance the business somewhere between 70% and 90% of the invoice's value. Then, once the invoice is collected from the customer, the remaining balance - minus a factoring fee - is released to the business. The factoring fee could range from between 1.5% and 5.5%. It's calculated on the total face value of the invoice and depends on how many days the funds are in use and other aspects, like the collection risk.

When a business has a factoring contract they can usually choose which invoices they want to sell to the factor: it's not generally an all or nothing process. Once the factor has purchased an invoice they become responsible for managing the receivable until the account has been paid. Essentially, the factor becomes the business's accounts receivable department and credit manager, analyzing credit reports, performing credit checks, mailing invoices, and documenting payments.

What Is Accounts Receivable Financing?

Accounts Receivable Financing is more similar to a traditional bank loan, however there are some key differences. Bank loans are secured with collateral; which might be real estate, the business owner's personal assets, or plant and equipment; whereas Accounts Receivable Financing is backed by the business's assets related to the Accounts Receivable. When a business has an Accounts Receivable financing agreement, a borrowing base is established at each draw against which the business is able to borrow money: this would typically be between 70% and 90% of the qualified receivables.

Between 1% and 2% is typically charged as a collateral management fee against the outstanding amount, and interest is only calculated as and when the money is advanced. An invoice must be less than 90 days old in order to count towards the borrowing base, and the finance company must deem the business credit worthy. There may also be other conditions to fulfil.

So, you can see that there are many similarities between Accounts Receivable financing and factoring; however, one is the sale of an asset (receivables or invoices) to a third party, while the other is actually a loan. In many ways, though, they do act similarly. Below we've listed the main features of each so you can determine which would be the best fit for your company.

Accounts Receivable Financing

' Generally, Accounts Receivable Financing is not as expensive as factoring;' It can be easier to move from this type of financing to a traditional bank line of credit once a business becomes bankable again;' Typically, a minimum of $75,000 per month is required in sales to qualify, so this type of financing may not be available to small companies;' Due to the fact that the business will be required to submit all of its Accounts Receivable to the finance company, this type of financing can be less flexible than factoring.

Factoring

' It's quite easy to qualify for factoring, and factoring is the ideal solution for start ups and financially challenged companies;' Because businesses can decide which invoices they want to sell to the factor, factoring offers more flexibility than Accounts Receivable Financing;' The company is able to track total costs on an invoice by invoice basis because factoring has a simple and straightforward fee structure.

In Conclusion

Today we see both Accounts Receivable Financing and factoring as traditional sources of financing; effective when traditional bank financing is not an option. Factoring can carry a business through a period when an immediate cash input is required.

Somewhere between 12 and 24 months most companies are generally able to repair their financial situation and once again become bankable. However, some companies in certain industries continue factoring their invoices indefinitely.An example of this is the trucking industry, which relies heavily on factoring for cash flow injections.

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Benefits Of A Factoring Company Over A Traditional Bank Loan

Anyone who owns a business knows that there are times when the money goes out of your business much faster than it is coming in. This can put a company in a financial bind, making it difficult to purchase raw materials, pay their employees, or even keep the utilities on. The simple truth is that every company needs to have ready cash in order to keep their business running on an even keel and in order for it to grow. There are a number of different ways that a company can get the money they need to keep their business running and moving forward, but not all of these ways offer businesses the same freedom and benefits. This article will talk about two popular, but different types of financing available to business. The Traditional bank loan, and getting your financing through a factoring company.

Bank Loans

Bank loans are an extremely traditional way for a business to get financing. While these loans are handy they are not available to every business. For example, a fairly newly established business simply may not have the assets to readily get a loan from a bank, even if they do, the standard collateral for a business loan is the business itself, which means that if you cannot make your loan payment, you risk losing your entire business. In addition, while you apply for a certain loan amount, that is all the financing you are entitled to. Once the loan is paid off, you can then apply for another loan if the need arises.

Factoring Companies

Factoring companies do not give loans, and the money you get from the factoring company does not put you in debt. Rather the financing you receive from a factoring company is based on money your business has all ready earned, but have not yet received. Factoring companies actually purchase your account's receivable or at least part of them for a percentage of their total worth, Normally around 80%-95%. The amount of money you can receive is based on the amount of money you have earned and the accounts receivable you are willing to "sell." Once you have set up factoring account it continues as long as you wish it too and the amount of money available to you even can grow as your business grows, giving you the ready cash you need to meet your own obligations.

Benefits of a Factoring Company Vs. A Bank Loan

While not every business can take advantage of factoring account financing (you have to have a business that has account receivables) for those that can use this type of financing there are several distinct benefits.

1. You Won't Incur Debt. Since the factoring company actually buys your accounts receivable you don't actually incur debt like you do with a bank loan. This has many benefits including the fact, that this type of financing won't affect either your business credit rating or your personal credit rating. Should the unforeseeable happen and your business fails, you won't have to worry about anyone coming after your personal as well as your business assets to pay off a loan. With a bank loan, the debt goes onto your credit report, and even one late payment can adversely affect your businesses credit, and even the ability to get insurance and may even reflect upon your personal credit rating.

2. No Collateral Required. Another benefit of using a factoring company instead of a traditional loan is that you aren't required to provide collateral to the factoring company in order to secure financing, because the company "buys" the accounts receivables; not loans you money based on them. In addition, while the factoring company does run a credit check on your customers whose accounts receivables are offered for financing, the state of your credit is not an issue. This makes it easier for fledgling businesses to get the financing they need through a factoring company (as long as their accounts receivables are in good order) then from a bank, who may not feel that you have been in business long enough to be worth the risk of issuing you a loan.

3. Receive Your Money Faster. With a Factoring company you can actually get the money you need faster. Once the Factoring company assures itself that the customers in your accounts receivable are likely to pay their debt, the money is usually in the account within 24 hours. With a bank, there are vasts amounts of paperwork, then the loan has to be underwritten, which can take months before you actually see the loan if it is approved.

4. Interest is Paid Up Front. Unlike a bank loan that continues to build interest that you have to pay the entire time you have your business loan with a factoring company, you don't have to continue to pay interest as they take it right off the top, deducting it from the total amount of accounts receivable. So not only are you relieved of those monthly loan payments, but you also don't have to worry about the building up of interest, as every penny in the account is yours to spend on the business.

As you can see, there are several benefits that makes considering financing through a factoring company over a traditional bank worthwhile. However, there are also a couple of other benefits that a factory company can offer your business is far beyond the scope of the bank. The most important benefits is that once you sell your accounts receivable to the factory company, you don't have to take time away from running your business to collect the money owed from reluctant to pay customers. The factoring company takes over that chore, since it is now their money to collect. Factoring companies are very good at collecting these debts, saving you the time and effort that you need to devote to your growing company.

In addition, since the factoring company evaluates the credit quality of your customers prior to purchasing the accounts receivable you gain valuable information into which customers are likely to pay and which ones are not so likely to pay.

While a Factoring company is not the only way for your business to obtain the money it needs to keep growing, it does offer a type of financing well worth considering.

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Questions You Need to Ask Your Factoring Company

In today's marketplace we're seeing more and more factoring companies, and factoring fees, rates and agreement terms have become very competitive. This means that, as a potential factoring customer, this competitiveness should work to your advantage. However, there are some issues you must consider when choosing a factoring company to suit your specific requirements.

Before entering into any factoring agreement, here are some important questions you should ask -

What Are Your Terms?

As a factoring customer, you'll be looking for as much flexibility in your factoring agreement as possible. It may be that you choose a long term contract with your factoring company if it includes flexible rates or a price break. In today's competitive market, many factoring companies are agreeing to adjust their rates based on competitive offers from other factors or increased factoring volume.

The majority of factoring agreements are a one year contract, which appears to be industry standard, and this contract will renew automatically unless you provide the factoring company either 60 or 90 days notice.

What's Your Fee Structure?

The fee structure may vary depending on both the factoring company involved and your industry. Some factoring companies charge a flat fee, which is calculated as a percentage of the total value of the invoice. On the other hand, other factoring companies charge additional fees to cover costs associated with doing business, such as money transfers, software, and so on. Ensure that the factoring company you're considering working with is completely upfront and transparent with you about its terms and fees.

Are You Able to Offer Both Recourse and Non Recourse Factoring?

Recourse factoring:

Recourse factoring is less expensive than non recourse factoring. With recourse factoring, you (being the client) are ultimately responsible if the factoring company is unable to collect on your customers' invoices. However, you're not necessarily required to pay the debt out of pocket if you have a recourse agreement and the customer defaults on payment. It may be that the factoring company will withhold a portion of future cash payments or payments held in reserve, with the money being placed in an escrow account until such time as the debt has been paid.

Non recourse factoring:

When you have a non recourse factoring agreement, the credit risk for the collection of customers' invoices lies with the factoring company.Therefore, we believe it's to your advantage to use a factoring company that offers both recourse and non recourse factoring, simply because you may find that some of your customers are more suitable for recourse factoring than others. In addition, you need a factoring company with a strong credit team because they can work with you to ensure you're dealing with good customers: to a certain degree this will relieve some of the pressure of being responsible for bad debt.

How Long Has the Factoring Company Been in Business?

With the marketplace becoming increasingly competitive, today we're seeing the creation of more and more factoring companies. However, many of these companies are recent start ups, with limited industry experience. Make sure you research the factoring company's history prior to entering into any factoring agreement: also research its background into providing financial services in your specific industry.

Do You Have the Capital to Grow with Me?

The fact that there's no limit to the level of financing is the major advantage factoring has over traditional bank lending. As your company continues to grow, so too should the funding of invoices grow with you. Do your research and learn as much as possible about your potential factoring company's client base and their capital structure.

Does this factoring company have a limit to the number of debtors it takes on? What's a typical account size? What's the factoring volume of their largest client? You'll probably find that factoring companies who have been serving your industry for many years will have greater capacity to finance your company as it continues to grow.

Is There Anything Else You Can Do for Me?

Obviously, factoring is more expensive than a conventional bank loan, and this is partly due to the back office services that your factoring company is able to provide. Besides collections and financing, many factoring companies will evaluate companies in your industry and provide credit information. Therefore, when looking for a factoring company for your business, make sure the one you choose offers additional services and products that can assist you in making good business decisions.

How Do We Start Factoring?

Fortunately, factoring companies are not unduly concerned about your balance sheet before they decide to work with you, unlike banks. However, they do have a process to follow when selecting new clients, so be sure you understand what the factoring company is looking for when it's considering you as a client. Are they looking at your credit ratings and/or your customers' payment histories?

Are they looking at your personal credit score?

In many cases a company will start factoring because it's looking for a quick injection of cash, so you need to know how many days the factoring company will take to review and process your application.

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Freight Bill Factoring: The Best Way to Achieve Your Business Goals

Freight bill factoring is not a secret, but many businesses are still unaware of the benefits available to them by factoring their business invoices.

If you're planning on starting your own trucking business, or perhaps you already own a trucking business, you may well have heard of freight bill factoring. Many trucking companies confirm that freight bill factoring has been entirely responsible for helping them achieve their overall business goals. So, let's discuss freight bill factoring and how can it help you grow your business.

How Freight Bill Factoring Assists Trucking Companies

It was recently reported that freight bill factoring has become the financial backbone of the trucking industry, and that's not a surprising statement because factoring provides financing capital that businesses would not otherwise be able to access. The freight bill factoring process is a very simple one: your Bill of Ladings is purchased by a factoring company at a discounted rate. The trucking company receives immediate funds and, because the money received is not a loan, the trucking company is free to use these funds as they see fit. No more cash flow problems!

Is Freight Bill Factoring a New Financing Concept?

No, it's not new. In fact, freight bill factoring has been around for a long, long time. Almost every civilization engaged in commerce has used some type of factoring. Businesses actively engaged in factoring during North America's colonial period when they made cash advances against accounts receivables to enable the business to carry on with their commercial operations. Of course, factoring has become quite advanced over the years and is now more focused on financial management, collections, and credit worthiness; however, the basic idea of purchasing accounts receivables remains the same today.

Today, factoring companies have a lot more to offer than just funding: they now have factoring specialists who assist their clients by evaluating their customer's credit worthiness, defining credit limits, and managing their accounts receivables collections in a professional manner.

Right across North America we're seeing all forms of factoring companies servicing business sectors and industries of all types. It's interesting to note that, today, many large financial corporations have their own in-house factoring divisions; however, factoring companies are typically independently-owned enterprises.

Commercial Banks Are No Longer Supportive of Small Business

Commercial banks today are operating under very strict regulations with constantly changing lending criteria, thus making it very difficult for business owners to apply for and be accepted for a bank loan. Their inflexibility has left small and medium-sized businesses out on a limb, searching for alternative financing sources. Fortunately, factoring provides these businesses with the financing solutions they're looking for.

Freight bill factoring offers a workable solution for these businesses when conventional financing methods are simply not available. And now that banks and other lending institutions have become less friendly to small business owners, factoring as a financing remedy is looking much more attractive.

Interesting statistics show that the volume of factoring around the globe has now exceeded the trillion-dollar mark, with factoring companies operating right around the world. In the last four years alone, there's been an increase in factoring transactions by 60%.

Factoring companies provide businesses with the working capital they need to operate and grow their businesses and, because factoring is not a loan, there really are no disadvantages to factoring.

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How Factoring Saved A Staffing Agency

The Bellosa Temporary & Permanent Hiring Agency has been experiencing a major uptick in business since the unemployment crisis began. The unemployed and underemployed workers have been keeping the phones ringing. The staffing agency is also fielding a lot of calls from employers too, looking for just the right hire. Company President and Vice President, Laurie Bell and Ted Stevens, have not experienced a boom in business since they first opened the doors in 2009, during the recession. They had an idea then that this would be a profitable venture.

The mantra that Laurie and Ted live by is that there's always going to be people searching for work and of course employers will always be on the lookout for good workers. This is especially true in healthcare staffing, the industry they specialize in. This seemed to be a safe bet for them as they embarked on this venture, but with any small business, the only way to keep the doors open is to keep pressing forward and out perform the competition.

In a relatively short period of time Laurie and Ted had built a nice sized business, they were able to hit the ground running with some brilliant marketing programs and a number of contracts from insiders. They grew rapidly, the timing couldn't have been better and they were very lucky in this aspect. By the fall of 2011 Laurie and Ted had weathered some ups and downs but they did have some solid clients like a few big insurance companies and a university hospital close by. These clients always paid their invoices on time. But they did start to notice a decrease in accounts receivables from some smaller clients such as rehab centers and private practices.

As winter approached they recalled previous winters and holiday seasons and realized that accounts receivables usually did slow down during this time. Laurie and Ted made the decision to delay their late payments until after the New Year. This plan didn't really appeal to them as it's no way to start a New Year, but they seemed to have no other options.

When New Year's had come and gone they realized that their Accounts Receivables had gone from 30 days past due to 60 days past due. Before meeting with their accountant Scott, they'd decided something had to be done, but they didn't know what.

Sitting in the conference room with Scott they listened as pulled all the figures up on his iPad saying,"Okay you two, I've been looking over the files you sent over and I can certainly see why you're worried about your late A/Rs but there may be a way to fix this. Do either of you know what factoring is?" Scott inquired.

Laurie and Ted looked at each other quizzically, and then Laurie said "I think it rings a bell, but I'm not really sure. Can you explain it?"

Scott began laying out the details, "You are sitting on a pile of invoices that are past due. The more time that goes by without them being paid, the bigger the bind this puts your business in. It makes it very difficult for you to grow, much less hire anyone new. If you don't have enough cash coming in . "

Ted interrupted with, "Then it could make it difficult to take on any new business because we wouldn't be able to hire the additional personnel we need and meet our weekly payroll. We need an inflow of cash and we really can't wait. If we have to wait any longer on these invoices we'll be in trouble."

Scott jumped in saying, "And this is precisely why I wanted to discuss factoring with you. The factoring company will purchase the invoices you are sitting on that are up to 3 months late, which gives you the cash you need now." He then showed him a chart on a piece of paper he placed in front of them.

Laurie began to carefully scrutinize it asking, "Is this the fee schedule?"

Scott answered, "Yes it's all right there. The factoring company makes 1% to 3% of the total amount of each invoice they purchase."

"That's sounds like a good deal to me", Ted said.

The three of them sat there and talked this over for a while and then Laurie and Ted made the decision to go forward realizing this was the best way to keep them afloat. They knew if they couldn't accommodate all the new clients they were acquiring the competition would get them and they would go down, they could just not afford to turn any business away.

They now needed to fill out an application and submit it to the factoring company and they also needed to show them a few back invoices, undergo a credit check for their company. Credit checks would also need to be done on the companies owing the debts that the factoring company would be purchasing.

It didn't take long for Bellosa's credit to be approved and the creditors' as well. Before long the factoring company purchased the overdue invoices and Laurie and Ted got the influx of cash they needed to cover things and allow them to continue growing their business.

The next time Laurie and Ted met with their accountant Scott, there were smiles all around.Scott said, "I've taken a look at your books so I know that factoring was the right solution for you."

"It worked perfectly", Laurie stated and went on to say, "The tiny amount we paid out for this influx of cash was certainly worth it."

Ted chimed in with, "Without a doubt! Whatever the fees were we made back and more since we were now able to hire more personnel so we could take on more business. It worked out for us and for them I would say!"

"That's what's great about factoring!" Scott exclaimed with a look of satisfaction on his face.

Abilene Factoring Companies Articles

Many healthcare professionals will attest to the fact that qualifying for a business loan or commercial line of credit is becoming harder and harder. Fortunately, there is a viable option, and it's known as Medical Factoring. Medical factoring is available for all types of healthcare businesses, including medical practices, and is the ideal financing option for businesses experiencing cash flow problems.

The Challenges Faced by the Healthcare Industry

Generally, the healthcare industry has excellent growth prospects and is quite resilient to economic turbulence, but it's also an industry facing more financial challenges than ever before. In years gone by, healthcare professionals, medical facilities, and medical suppliers found it reasonably easy to manage their cash flow, but today Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies have laid down strict guidelines for reimbursement, including onerous documentation and billing requirements, so-much-so that businesses not only receive less money, but must wait longer to receive it.

This situation can, and does, create financial issues for many medical providers who, while dealing with increasing operating expenses, salaries, and benefits, must also accept less and wait longer to receive their money. In many cases, the health provider's long-term viability is placed in jeopardy, and because of cash flow problems the business is unable to pursue new opportunities for growth. A physician running a relatively small practice could well have $1 million tied up in receivables!

The Problem with Bank Loans

When any business confronts a cash flow crisis their first port of call is usually a bank or other commercial lender, and a Line of Credit or business loan can certainly help in the short term; however, neither will permanently solve the problem and are therefore not optimal financing solutions. Bank loans are more suited to large fixed capital purchases, but they're not designed to cover short-term recurring business expenses. On the other hand, a Line of Credit is somewhat better, but because they have credit limits and fixed terms they're not able to provide the assurance a business needs of an unlimited, renewable source of business capital. Once the credit limit has been reached or the term of credit line ends, the lender has the right to not renew or increase the credit limit. And, unfortunately, this is the situation that many healthcare professionals find themselves in today.

The Perfect Medical Financing Solution

So, what's the ideal solution for medical financing? The perfect solution would be one that's flexible enough to grow and expand with the healthcare business; one where the business owner is not required to re-apply to a bank or other lender for credit limit increases. The ideal solution would provide a reliable and steady source of working capital, capable of financing both the current and future operations of the business.

Medical Factoring

Fortunately, there is a solution for healthcare professionals, and it's known as Medical Factoring. Medical Factoring, or Medical Receivables Factoring is an area of receivables factoring that deals exclusively with accounts that are medical in nature. Due to the fact that many healthcare receivables are either reduced or denied by insurance providers, and because of the expertise required to manage the claims process, factoring companies who factor medical receivables face significant challenges, so-much-so that it's almost a necessity for these companies to specialize in medical factoring. In fact, there are many factoring companies out there that do nothing else!

What Types of Business Use Medical Factoring?

Factoring has been around for hundreds of years and many industries have discovered the benefits of invoice factoring. However, many medical service providers are completely unaware of the existence of factoring and therefore don't realize that it's one of the most flexible and powerful business financing tools available today. Almost any healthcare provider can benefit from Medical Factoring, including -

Receivables Factoring offers medical practices an excellent financing alternative to loans: the medical practice will have consistent and flexible financing tied directly to its insurance claims. This means that the amount of available financing increases as more claims are filed. Having a reliable cash flow in a growing medical practice ensures that there will always be sufficient liquid business capital to cover expenses.

Medical Supply Companies

In the same way, medical factoring offers medical supply companies quick and predictable business financing, directly tied to the volume of sales. The amount of financing grows as sales grow, automatically providing the working capital needed to both operate and grow the business.

Generally, medical factoring is particularly well suited for smaller medical offices. Because your chosen factoring company will be handling most of the administrative work involved in collections and claims processing, overhead expenses and office staffing can be kept at a minimum, thus allowing you to focus on what you do best - delivering the best medical care possible!

If you have a small practice with good growth prospects, but you also have slow cash flow, then you'll soon discover that medical factoring could well be the ideal financing tool to help you finance the growth of your business. It's true that most factoring companies have minimums, but there are factoring companies out there who will finance an office billing as little as $50,000 per month.

How Medical Receivables Factoring Works

Medical Factoring is quite simple: Basically, medical factoring accelerates payments for any healthcare business that depends on third-party payors. This means that within days of the initial billing (instead of weeks) most of the business's billed amount will be deposited directly into that business's bank account, thus drastically shortening the collection cycle and eliminating the constant headache of cash flow problems.

The added bonus of medical factoring is that it's not a loan, and as such, has no impact whatsoever on the business's balance sheet. There are no arbitrary limits, no credit limits, and no stringent financial requirements. The healthcare professional can factor as much of the billing as is generated by the business, thus making factoring the ideal financing tool for business growth.

How to Create a Factoring Program

Setting up a factoring program will typically take a couple of weeks at most. Obviously, the factoring company will need reassurance that the third-party payors are reliable and that their clients' practices are stable. However, once the factoring program has been established, medical financing is predictable and continuous. Claims will typically be funded within 48 hours after being submitted to the medical factoring company.

The Factoring Process

Medical Factoring is a very simple process -

- Periodically, your practice submits billings to Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance companies (note that certain medical factoring companies will do this for you), with copies forwarded to your factoring company; - Within 48 hoursthe advance, or up to 85% of net collectables, will be deposited into your business bank account. The balance will be held in reserve to settle billing discrepancies; - The factoring fee will be collected once a factoring company has been paid, with the balance of the billings being remitted to you. The fee charged by the medical factoring company will vary according to the size and types of claims generated by the practice.

The Future of Medical Factoring

It's true that medical factoring covers a relatively small portion of factoring activity overall; however, more healthcare professionals are learning about factoring and, today, we're seeing an increase in interest in medical factoring throughout the healthcare industry. As the benefits of this type of medical financing become more widely known, it's anticipated that medical receivables factoring will become more widely used.

Medical factoring provides a short-term solution for shortfalls in working capital financing, plus a long-term solution for medical financing and patient accounting support, and it's for these reasons that medical factoring as a financing tool deserves careful consideration by healthcare businesses.